


Co-Conspirators

by StudGenius



Series: Nova and Chantal: Reconciliation [4]
Category: Queen Sugar (TV)
Genre: Canon Queer Character of Color, F/F, Femslash February Celebrates Black Women, Post-Canon, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-22 00:20:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9573377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StudGenius/pseuds/StudGenius
Summary: Sisterly love, sista-ly love, and scammers not named Joanne.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Mood music:
> 
> "Queen" - SiR
> 
> "Last Night In Las Feliz" - Niia
> 
> "Baby, This Love I Have" - Minnie Riperton
> 
> "Crawl" - Gabriel Garzón-Montano

"What do you mean 'love'?? Didn't you just tell me that you two just got back together?"

"I know."

"Have you even worked through why you broke up in the first place?"

"Charley, I know! I know. But it ain't easy slowing down when your heart is going at light speed. And I want to trust it." Nova nods, mostly to herself. "I mean, I don't see you having any doubts about Remy."

"No. That's because my doubts about us are doubts about me."

"Why you say that?"

"What if I'm not ready?" Charley shrugs, looking down at where she's rubbing the fading tan line where rings used to be. "What if I'm not who he thinks I am? Nova, I had to do a lot things to get this mill. No one would blink an in L.A., but here..."

"You made it happen. No one else here could've done what you did. All the black farmers in St. Joe? You're changing their lives, Charley. And if he can't appreciate that..." Nova shrugs like Charley has so many other options that don't belong to a family that had owned hers knocking down her door.

"I've stood him up twice now."

"What for? I thought you wanted the -"

"I do! But I needed the mill more."

"So that's where you're at. He's going to have to respect that if he wants you."

"Yeah, but three strikes, and I'm out, surely. I can't afford to mess it up again."

"You won't. Trust Oshun to guide you. And you're my sister. How could he resist?"

"Is that what it is? Me being your sister?"

Nova just smirks and shrugs, stretching her arms out across the back of her couch, then putting them down again when she feels the strain it puts on her already aching shoulders.

Charley gives her an appraising look, amusement evident in the ever-so-slightly upturned corner of her mouth. "You gonna make it?"

"I'm fine." A retort that would probably be more convincing if she wasn't shifting against the sofa cushions in search of more comfort.

"I thought you been doing pilates."

"I am. I might be getting a little too much exercise now, though."

The look on Charley's face is easy to read; she wants details, because she's nosy, but she doesn't want details because it's Nova. "How old is your ladyfriend?"

" _Chantal_. She's 36. And I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Because I'm over here thinking you're trying to keep up with some young girl, but you're getting ran by someone your own age."

If Nova could move fast enough to do it, she'd wipe that smug smile off of Charley's face.

"Rode hard and put away wet. So to speak." Charley cackles at her own joke, and Nova risks the pain to snatch the throw pillow out of her arms and smack her with it again.

"We'll see how you hold up once Remy finally gets a hold of you. You done had that man waiting for months; gon' be right here slumped on the couch with me."

Charley sinks back into the couch then, face resting against the cushion as she studies her sister, getting good and settled into their girl talk. "I bet it's worth it, though."

"Is." Nova has to catch herself not to slip too far into reminiscing on the night before, but she can't help the little bit of a moan that escapes. "She does a lot of cardio. I gotta step my game up. I mean, I know I look good, but the struggle is real."

Charley lets out a snort at that, failing once again to hold in her laughter at her expense. "Is that what's got you thinking you're in love? The sex?"

"No. I know the difference, and I know what I'm feeling. Just too soon for me to be feeling it."

She doesn't add that what she's feeling for Chantal after a few months is something new and different from what she'd felt for Calvin after years. For one, Nova knows how it sounds - like infatuation. And it is, but there's also the care, concern, compatibility (despite what Chantal had said) and strong desire that comes along with it to consider. For two, she's not sure how helpful Charley's going to feel if she brings up the whole married-then-separated, ex-then-not-ex-then-ex-again boyfriend.

"You gonna tell her?"

Nova shakes her head. "No...Maybe. I don't know. I don't wanna scare her off. I don't want to hold it in. I don't even know if I'm ready. If she's ready." She shakes her head again. "What are you going to tell Remy?"

" _If_ he even wants to talk to me now."

"What did I say?" Arms stretch out (slowly) to invite Charley into a gentle hug. "You're my sister. And you're a Bordelon. He'll talk."

Charley leans fully into the embrace, soaking up her sister's healing energy and breathing in that fragrance that she's been refusing to identify to her since the Oshun ritual. 'Trade secret,' she says. Charley is already working out a way to fit a line of natural products from Nova into the Bordelon business portfolio. "I hope so." When she pulls away, she meets Nova eyes, her energy calm in a way that Nova has rarely felt from her. "And, Nova, it doesn't matter what you tell her or when you tell her if you don't have the foundation to make her believe it or the game plan to keep her believing it. Show and prove."

Nova nods, fixes her mouth to make a crack about how wise Charley's become in her old age, but before she can get the joke out, her phone buzzes.

> **Chantal Williams, 10:05am**
> 
> Headed back your way. Need to talk to you in person.

_Shit._

\------------------------------------------------

It takes Nova fifteen minutes to get Charley out of the door after she gets the text, finally convincing her that trying to have her first official meeting of Chantal when something was clearly wrong isn't the move. Thirty minutes after that, Chantal comes through the door with a bag full of takeout in one hand and a bag of oranges in the other.

"Hey." Nova sits up on her lounger and puts her feet and laptop down to greet her, but Chantal waves her off with a shake of her head before she can stand up.

"Don't hug me. My energy's all jacked up, and I don't want it to rub off on you."

"Baby, it's fine. This is what I do."

When Chantal comes back from setting her bags down in the kitchen, she goes to Nova, kissing the top of her head and smoothing a hand over her dreads. "And when's the last time you were cleansed?"

"I take care of myself!"

"Uh huh. I'm putting you in a tea bath tonight. Extra sage. The lavender epsom salt. Healing clay on your feet. All of that."

Nova grins up at her and shakes her head, wrapping her arms around Chantal's thighs to pull her in anyway. "So that means I can have my hug now."

She rolls her eyes in response, but her smile makes her dimple pop despite herself, and she lets Nova tug her closer. "You are so hard-headed."

"If I wasn't, you would chew me up and spit me out."

"True. But look. Focus. I bought you a plate from Gloria's as a bit of a bribe 'cause-"

"Why would I need a bribe?" Nova's voice is muffled against her from where she's resting her head in her lap, and Chantal doesn't know if it's because the ear massage she's giving her has her mellowed out or if they're moving to a new level of trust, but Nova's not reacting with suspicion, and she's glad about it.

"I'm finna tell you now. Hush."

"Everything alright over there?"

"No. This old bitch-" Chantal shakes her head at herself and starts over. " _Reverend DuBois_ is back to her old shit again, raising money for "community improvement projects" that never happen anywhere but in her own building. But, this time, she's taking money from citizens since she can't get anymore from the city. I was going up to her office to bust her head to the white meat, or at least flip a desk, or somethin', but on the drive over, I had another idea. A _better_ idea."

"A _legal_ idea?"

"Yes, perfectly legal." She settles down into Nova's lap, frowning at her when moving to wrap her arms around her waist makes her cringe. "Your back acting up again?"

"I'll be fine."

"I'm rubbing you down after you get out of the tub."

Nova hides her face in her chest, getting a little lost in her fragrance, clean and fruity and stirring. "Only you could make that sound like a threat."

"I'm just tryna make sure you're good. Which is why you're gonna tell me if what I'm asking is too much or you're just not interested."

"I'm listening."

"Okay. Thinking of this as a scoop, if you will. We need somebody to look into why the city's so-called investigation of what the good reverend did with the money Nagin gave her for "community improvement" went absolutely nowhere. Sis ain't improved shit but her own building. Now, if it's what I suspect, there might be some laundering involved with city officials attached, so I can understand if you don't want the extra heat right now. I want you to be safe more than I want anything else." She pauses to look at Nova, who, to her simultaneous relief and trepidation, looks intrigued.

"You already know."

"Deliberate and afraid of nothing," Chantal finishes. "I know. That doesn't mean I don't have second and third thoughts about asking you to sign up to put yourself in more danger. But I knew it wouldn't fly if I brought this to someone else before I came to you."

The little kisses Nova trails up her neck are partly to reassure her that everything's all good between them. She won't even bring up the way her stomach knots whenever she hears that Chantal is out leading a rally or, especially when, executing an action, knowing how quickly it could all go bad. Knowing Chantal's stories of how it'd gone bad enough times before and seeing the evidence of how she's still affected by her experiences. Nova understands, but she also understands why Chantal has never stopped doing what she does. "You were right about that. What made you think this is something I'd need a bribe for?"

The sharp turn of Chantal's head effectively breaks up Nova's nibbling. "Are you... _forgetting_ what happened the last time I tried to mix business and pleasure with you?"

" _That_ was because you didn't listen when I said no." Nova tries to hold tight to Chantal, the gasp of pain she lets out at the twinge in her back making the other woman stop her attempts to squirm away.

"Nova, I swear to God..."

"Sorry."

"No, you're not. You meant it."

"I did. But I didn't have to say it like that.........I'm...it's a work in progress."

"And we need to talk about it. The talking points."

"We do," Nova nods. "But I want to hear the rest of this scoop, first." She smiles when Chantal does, then kisses her cheek, nose nuzzling her cheekbone. "...I value your presence. And your opinions. And I'm gonna do better about showing you that."

The look Chantal gives her in response leaves her unsurprised when she cuffs a hand around the side of her neck and says, "You wanna go lay down with me for a little while? I know your back is hurting."

"Something tells me it's just gonna end up hurting worse if we go to bed." Nova's eyes are sparkling with mischief and affection, and they close in pleasure at the sound of Chantal's laughter.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. I just wanna eat and chill."

"I bet."

Chantal climbs off of Nova's lap and gently tugs her to her feet, leading her to the bedroom.

Somewhere between the baked macaroni and the sauteed cabbage, they start talking story pitches again. Nova doesn't even bother to ask how Chantal got lunch plates during breakfast hours; she's long ago learned that she's not the only person in New Orleans who's fallen for her charms in one way or the other. She's also not complaining when that charm gets her fresh beignets on demand from Morning Call.

"Okay, so. The whole part of this that necessitated the bribe," Chantal gestures to the styrofoam box in Nova's left hand, "is that I need you to write this outside of your usual style."

"What's wrong with my usual style?"

" _Nothing_. You know I love your writing. You _know_ the way you express yourself turns me the fuck on. But me and the girls can't be out here looking like we banging on little ol' ladies."

Even though she's still a little wary, Nova has to laugh a little at that.

"So that's where you come in to throw a lil' salt in her game. Cast a lil' doubt on her to make it look like we're just following up on your article when we roll up on her. You gotta be real subtle with it and let whatever facts you find speak for themselves 'cause ol' girl is super aggressive, and-"

"This lil' ol' reverend??"

"Girl, yes! And I'm an unrepentant, non-Christian lesbian leading this second wave of "attacks" against her. And half the folks in Gert Town still think her ass is a pillar of the community. We have to handle this in exactly the right way if it's gonna work and we're gonna get people to listen. You write the article, cast the first seed of doubt. _We'll_ call a town meeting to give her a chance to answer, and, if she refuses - _when_ she refuses, because she a ornery old goat - we got an action planned, and your article will be the first thing people see when they're on Google trying to figure out why we're putting our feet in her ass."

"I'm wit' it."

Chantal stops mid-mouthful of broccoli and cheese casserole to stare at her. "...Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that. I ain't gon have you looking over my shoulder or nothin', but I'll do what I can."

The way Chantal smiles at her makes Nova blush and roll her eyes, but when she puts her plate down on her nightstand and scoots towards her, Nova follows suit, and Chantal's arms and left leg are around her in no time. "You're." Kiss. "So." Kiss. "Sweet." Kiss. "Let me show you my gratitude."

"I was tryna finish my Gloria's," Nova teases, her chuckle fading fast when Chantal shifts even closer to her.

"Don't even worry about it. I was planning to eat this sweet potato casserole off of you, anyway."

"How does that help me taste it?"

"Oh, you gon taste it, alright."

\------------------------------------------------

True to her word, Chantal draws Nova a hot, healing bath after their lovemaking, rousing her dozing lover when she's finished to escort her into the bathroom. Her arms are tight around Nova's middle, nose buried in the side of her neck, breathing in the aroma of sex and fragrant oils as they waddle the few feet from the bed to the tub together.

Once Nova's settled down in the water, she kneels down on the bath mat beside her, dipping a fresh washcloth in to bathe her, her ministrations gentle, but firm as she feels whatever tension is left in Nova's body after three orgasms begin to dissipate. "How does that feel?"

Nova's eyes are closed, and (not that Chantal is _looking_ , but she notices) her nipples are hard. She lets out an appreciative moan before smiling and answering. "Like you're marinating me."

"Your flavor is already perfection. But I'm serious. Is this helping?"

"More than you know." It not just her body that feels the relief; she can feel her reservations begin to melt away, as well, and she thinks that this must be what Charley meant. Chantal has yet to even hint at those three words, but Nova knows that she loves her, too. She can feel it in her touch, as she runs the warm cloth over her shoulders, and hear it in her hum as she admires the feel of the lean muscles there. She sees it in her eyes when she opens hers look at her. She hears it in her voice when she tells her no, that she won't join her in the tub this time.

"This is all for you, Nova. Let somebody else do the taking care of you for once."

Nova swears she can even taste the love on her lips when Chantal leans in to kiss her. "Hey."

"Yes, baby?"

"Thank you."

Chantal's got her all clean, relaxed, and dried off and lying down on her stomach on a mound of towels in the center of the bed soon enough, taking a perch on her butt to rub her down with coconut oil, and Nova's dozing again before she can even turn around to massage her legs and rub her feet.

She climbs off to clean up, Nova stirring at the movement, but not waking, and settles down to snuggle against her side when she's done, smiling at the way her body shifts to accept her embrace.

The smell of sautéing vegetables and pork bacon is what wakes her up the next morning, and she stretches out across the bed to just enjoy the moment for a second before turning to check the time.

And when she turns towards the nightstand, it's the first thing she sees. Nova's spare key is on top of her phone.


End file.
